Wedge type electrical connector



24, 1967 r J. L. MIXON, JR, ETAL 3,

WEDGE TYPE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Oct. 29, 1964 INVENTOR. fieeom/ck WILLIAM WV/L. BYJJMES zav/mer lI/X 37?.

' M, 771 #J gi United States Patent 3,349,167 WEDGE TYPE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR James Lenhart Mixou, .lr., Harrisburg, and Frederick William Wahl, Middletown, Pa., assignors to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

Filed Oct. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 407,510 3 Claims. (Cl. 174-94) This invention relates to a connector to connect a line onto a high voltage line.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel wedge of the connector assembly to facilitate the introduction thereof into the C-shaped body member.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawing in which there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given for purposes of illustration and principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawing:

FIGURES 1-3 are cross-sectional views of a new type wedge member in its preassembled condition, partially assembled condition and assembled condition in a C- shaped body member, respectively.

FIGURES 1-3 illustrate a novel concept with regard to wedge member 11 which has radiused sections 74 and 75 disposed in the inclined sides thereof. As can be discerned, radiused section 75 has at the smallest end of wedge member 11 another radiused section 76 which is inclined more than radiused section 75. Radiused sections 74 and 75 are formed so as to engage corresponding sizes of conductor members CM, i.e., the radius of sections 74 and 75 corresponds to the radius of the conductor member to be disposed therein. Thus, if the conductor members are the same size, section 76 facilitates the insertion of wedge member 11 between conductor members CM when they are disposed within the bight sections of body member 5 prior to wedge member 11 being completely driven therewithin via a suitable driving tool.

With regard to the connection of a small conductor member and a large conductor member within body member 5, it has been found that transverse crimping forces usually compress the small conductor member to a greater degree than the large conductor member. This is due to the following reasons: (1) more cross-sectional area in the large conductor member; (2) greater force concentration on the smaller conductor member.

Due to the provision of radiused section 76 within radiused section 75, the transverse crimping forces take effect on a greater surface area of the large conductor member before they affect the small conductor members.

As shown in FIGURE 1, wedge member 11 is placed between conductor members CM and in FIGURE 2, wedge member 11 is placed into engagement with the conductor members such that section 76 engages the top conductor member and section 74 is in engagement with the bottom conductor member. Wedge member 11 is now ready to be driven completely within body member 5 via a suitable driving tool, such as, for example, explosivelyoperated tool 13 described in U.S. Patents 3,292,363 and 3,296,722. FIGURE 3 illustrates wedge member 11 completely driven within body member 5 with sections 74 and 75 in engagement with the conductor members to effect an excellent mechanical and electrical connection therebetween. Prior to wedge member 11 being driven within body member 5, it is disposed at an angular inclination with respect to the axis of body member 5, as illustrated in FIGURE 2. During the travel of wedge member 11 within body member 5 (force from the power-operated tool) wedge member 11 rocks about the transition point between sections 75 and 76 and aligns itself during which time friction is reduced and forces are equalized onto the conductor members.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the aforementioned and other desirable objects have been achieved; however, it should be emphasized that the particular embodiment of the invention, which is shown and described herein, is intended as merely illustrative and not as restrictive of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A connector assembly for joining cable members comprising a body member having inclined bight sections each for receiving a cable member therein, a wedge member for insertion into said body member, said wedge member having inclined sections corresponding substantially to said bight sections and extending the full length of said Wedge member and including radiused sections to accommodate the cable members in engagement therewith, one of said radiused sections extending the entire length of said wedge member, the other of said radiused sections extending more than half the length of said wedge member and merging into a tapered radiused section toward the small end of said wedge member, said tapered radiused section having a greater angular inclination than the inclination of the other of said radiused sections, said tapered radiused section and said one of said radiused sections being engageable with respective cable members prior to said wedge member being driven within said body member whereby said wedge member is disposed at an angle with respect to said body, said tapered radiused section facilitating insertion and driving of said wedge member into said body member to join the cable members.

2. A connector assembly according to claim 1 wherein said body member has a C-shaped configuration.

3. A connector assembly according to claim 1 wherein said radiused sections have cross-sectional configurations of different sizes to accommodate cable members of different sizes so that said tapered radiused section equalizes pressure on the cable members as the wedge member is being driven into said body member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,622,109 3/1927 Haworth 24126 1,644,375 10/1927 Haworth 24126 3,065,449 11/1962 Matthysse et al 174-90 X 3,235,944 2/1966 Broske et al 174-90 X 3,257,499 6/1966 Broske 17494 DARRELL L. CLAY, Primary Examiner. L. H. MYERS, Examiner. 

1. A CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY FOR JOINING CABLE MEMBERS COMPRISING A BODY MEMBER HAVING INCLINED BIGHT SECTIONS EACH FOR RECEIVING A CABLE MEMBER THEREIN, A WEDGE MEMBER FOR INSERTION INTO SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID WEDGE MEMBER HAVING INCLINED SECTIONS CORRESPONDING SUBSTANTIALLY TO SAID BIGHT SECTIONS AND EXTENDING THE FULL LENGTH OF SAID WEDGE MEMBER AND INCLUDING RADIUSED SECTIONS TO ACCOMMODATE THE CABLE MEMBERS IN ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, ONE OF SAID RADIUSED SECTIONS EXTENDING THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF SAID WEDGE MEMBER, THE OTHER OF SIAD RADIUSED SECTIONS EXTENDING MORE THAN HALF THE LENGTH OF SAID WEDGE MEMBER AND MERGING INTO A TAPERED RADIUSED SECTION TOWARD THE SMALL END OF SAID WEDGE MEMBER, SAID TAPERED RADIUSED SECTION HAVING A GREATER ANGULAR INCLINATION THAT THE INCLINATION OF THE OTHER OF SAID RADIUSED SECTIONS, SAID TAPERED RADIUSED SECTION AND SAID ONE OF SAID RADIUSED SECTIONS BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH RESPECTIVE CABLE MEMBERS PRIOR TO SAID WEDGE MEMBER BEING DRIVEN WITH SAID BODY MEMBER WHEREBY SAID WEDGE MEMBER IS DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID BODY, SAID TAPERED RADIUSED SECTION FACILITATING INSERTION AND DRIVING OF SAID WEDGE MEMBER INTO SAID BODY MEMBER TO JOIN THE CABLE MEMBERS. 